


Bequeathed

by HouseofSannae



Series: Kingdom Hearts Ψ [20]
Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, But Yen Sid's cool with it, Gen, Xion has a pottymouth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-21
Updated: 2019-06-21
Packaged: 2020-05-15 19:21:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,251
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19302172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HouseofSannae/pseuds/HouseofSannae
Summary: Left behind as everyone else is sent out on a mission, Xion works out her frustrations in a conversation with an unlikely sounding board





	1. Final

            She wasn’t useless. She wasn’t going to be tossed aside, no matter what she could or couldn’t do. She was able to help, even without a Keyblade.

            But that didn’t mean it didn’t rankle when everyone else was sent off on a mission, leaving her behind.

            Xion hacked angrily at the training dummy, varying her strikes in a random order. It wouldn’t do to get into a predictable pattern; Naminé still struggled with that sometimes.

            It wasn’t even like she _couldn’t_ fight; there were _scores_ of worlds where she could just pick up a normal damn sword. If a bog-standard targe shield was enough for Goofy, magically reinforced though it might have been, surely an average straight sword would have been enough.

            But, no, no Keyblade meant no magic focus, no ability to generate a Light Corridor to get out of danger (again, not that that stopped Donald and Goofy, or Vanitas and Roxas, who still hadn’t mastered making them, in the slightest), no Command Styles, no sealing Keyholes if necessary, and no permanently destroying Heartless. None of these were reason enough to her, until Lea had pointed out that a sword had a different balance than a Keyblade. He’d had enough trouble adjusting to using his own Keyblade instead of his chakrams (he still, every once in a while, tried to twirl the Keyblade around his fingers, dropping it for his trouble), so despite the similarities Xion would still need yet more training to use the new weapon.

            Meaning, she still wouldn’t have been able to join them.

            Xion pirouetted and stabbed at the dummy, the tip of her training sword impacting right where its stomach would be.

             She hadn’t asked anyone to try Bequeathing to her, even though Aqua and Riku had both offered. She didn’t know why, it seemed like that would solve the problem immediately…

            No, that was a lie.

            She knew exactly why.

            If she asked one of her friends to Bequeath her a Keyblade, that would be like admitting she’d never really been a Keybearer to begin with.

            For two reasons, that was unacceptable.

            First, it would mean that yet another of the few things she had based her identity on way back in the Organization was a lie.

            Second, it would mean it was entirely possible she wasn’t, and had never been, worthy to wield a Keyblade.

            Better to wait until the one she’d already had came back, than face that possibility.

            Xion twirled around the dummy and thrust her sword straight into its spine. There was a loud cracking noise, and she blinked in surprise. She’d stabbed hard enough to crack the wooden sword she was using. There was also an ugly dent in the dummy’s back.

            She sighed, and tossed the wooden sword onto the pile.

            It wasn’t the first one she’d broken today.

            She paused as she grabbed her water bottle, taking a short break before pulling another training sword out of the carefully-concealed storage cabinet in the padded gymnasium wall (she was reasonably sure there was an infinite supply). There was an odd tugging sensation at the back of her mind, like there was something she needed to go do, but she couldn’t quite remember what it was.

            She poked her head out of the gym’s door. “Anyone there?” she called, not expecting an answer. Yen Sid and the three fairies were the only ones who hadn’t been sent on the mission, and they mostly kept to their respective rooms at the top of the Tower outside of mealtimes. Sure enough, there was no response.

            But the tugging sensation intensified.

            Frowning, Xion stepped out, intent on going to Yen Sid to report the strange sensation. If there was something magical happening, best to go to the magician. But the second she reached the stairs, she pivoted, and started climbing down them instead.

            “What the hell?” she murmured, and stopped.

            The tugging sensation intensified again.

            “Fine, magic bullshit,” she grumbled, and started following it down the staircase. “Damn fucking Tower…” She was not in the mood for this right now, but it seemed like she didn’t have a choice.

            She followed the sensation down the stairs to the Tower’s entryway. “Okay, if we’re leaving I need an adult,” she muttered, but the tugging didn’t pull her towards the doors. Instead, it drew her towards another level of the staircase, heading down into a basement that she could have sworn hadn’t existed previously. Cautiously, she started down the stairs, and the sensation vanished.

            “Oh, and now you’re relying on my natural curiosity to drive me the rest of the way?” Xion scoffed at thin air. She stood there scowling for a couple seconds, then continued down the stairs. “The fact that it’s working proves _nothing_.”

            The sensation returned for a second as she passed a small door. The staircase continued, but the message was clear. “Fine,” Xion grumbled. She pushed the door open.

            It was barely more than a cubby, just enough of a room for a small table, magically (literally) kept free of dust. There was a pale blue cloth resting on it, and a light from nowhere shone down upon it.

            On the table rested a Keyblade.

            It was short, and metallic blue. The head was shaped like a diamond, and it had a motif of raindrops.

            Almost unconsciously, Xion started to reach towards it, then jerked her hand back.

            “Its name,” rumbled a voice, “is Rainfell. It used to belong to Master Aqua.”

            Xion whirled around in shock. “Master Yen Sid! I didn’t – I mean, I’m not – I – I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be going places I shouldn’t be!”

            “Xion, please, calm yourself,” Yen Sid said from his position in the doorway, holding a hand up to forestall her. “You are not intruding here. However, I am curious. How did you find this place?”

            “Something… made me come here,” she admitted, looking at her feet.

            Yen Sid gestured towards the Keyblade on the table. “It called to you?”

            “I… guess?” Xion said, unsure.

            “Your inability to summon the Keyblade bothers you.” It wasn’t a question.

            Xion sighed. “It does. My friends are out there risking their lives, and I can’t do anything to help.”

            Yen Sid raised an eyebrow. “I believe we both know that is untrue.”

            “I can’t fucking _fight_ alongside them!” Xion snapped, then covered her mouth. “I’m sorry, Master, I–”

            “I do not begrudge you the release of tension,” Yen Sid said, mildly. There might have even been a hint of humour.

            “...still,” Xion said, and sighed. “I’m not much of a ‘secret weapon’ if I can’t fight.”

            Yen Sid raised an eyebrow. “Do you truly wish to fight? Perhaps to die, so soon after returning to life? There are some who would call your situation a relief.”

            Xion drew herself up to her full height, which put her somewhere around the middle of Yen Sid’s chest. Still, it helped her feel more confident. “People I care about are in danger. They might even die, and I’m not able to so much as even lift a finger to defend them in person. There’s no ‘relief’ to be had while that’s the case.”

            “If you are so resolved,” Yen Sid said quietly, “then I would suggest that you take up _this_ blade.”

            Xion blinked. “Excuse me?”

            Yen Sid motioned to Rainfell. “Master Aqua left this behind when she went to face Xehanort in Terra’s body. It remained here, as a memorial to one who was presumed lost. Aqua is lost no more; this Keyblade is not needed as a memento. You have the skill to wield it, even if the power is not your own. With it, you will be able to fight.”

            Xion turned back towards the Keyblade on the table. She reached out to grasp its hilt once more, but again stopped, and withdrew her hand.

            “No.”

            “No?”

            “I’m sick and tired of borrowing other people’s power. Stealing Sora’s memories, borrowing Roxas’s Keyblade, and now you’re telling me to fight with Aqua’s power? I can’t do it. I _won’t_ do it. If I can’t fight for my friends with my own power, I might as well not fight at all.”

            She looked Yen Sid right in the eyes. “If I can’t pull my own weight, if I can’t do anything to help on my own, what use is there to me?” Her voice only cracked slightly, but it was out in the open now. Her fear laid bare to the person she had the most to fear from.

            Yen Sid met her gaze. “Xion, your worth is not determined by what you can or cannot do. I know that you know this. And I hope it assuages your fears somewhat to learn that I know it, as well.”

            Xion screwed her eyes closed and nodded. It did help. Yen Sid was the person who would have sent her away for not being useful; not that she had ever truly believed he would. But fears can be unreasonable.

            She had needed to hear that from him.

            “Thank you,” she murmured, so low she thought he might not have been able to hear, but he nodded, and didn’t acknowledge it aside from that. And she was thankful for that as well.

            “Something you said intrigues me,” he said instead. “You say that you at one point used Roxas’s Keyblade?”

            Xion nodded, and explained how during her time in the Organization, there had been periods when she lost the use of her Keyblade. On one of those occasions, Roxas had lent her his. It was soon after that that she’d regained control of her own.

            “He freely gave it to you? And you accepted it?” Yen Sid asked.

            “Yes?”

            The sorcerer retreated to the staircase outside the door and sat down. He motioned for her to join him, and cautiously, she sat. “What do you know about Bequeathing?”

            Xion bit her lip. “It’s how a Keyblade Master passes on the ability to wield a Keyblade. It’s not supposed to be doable by accident, but Kairi doesn’t play by the rules. There’s supposed to be a small ceremony, a litany about protecting those you care about, and all it passes on is the potential. You might get Bequeathed to and not… be able to manifest a Keyblade… at all.” Her voice quieted as she continued.

            Yen Sid nodded. “That is correct, although…”

            Xion frowned. “Although?”

            “There is no caveat that the person performing the Bequeathing need be a Keyblade Master.”

            Xion blinked, confused. “But…”

            “Terra was not a Keyblade Master when he Bequeathed to Riku,” Yen Sid pointed out.

            “But… wasn’t he strong enough to be considered for Mastery?” Xion asked.

            “Yes. But as I’m sure you’re aware, correlation is not causation,” Yen Sid replied. Again, she could have sworn there was a hint of humour.

            Xion frowned. “So… what’s the determining factor, then? Anyone with a Keyblade can do it?”

            “The determining factor, as you call it, is the intent to pass the power on,” Yen Sid said. “Though,” he said, in an undertone, “Kairi once again throws a complication into the mixture.”

            “She does that,” Xion agreed, unconsciously, as she considered. “…What exactly are you suggesting, Master?” She was pretty sure she knew. But she wanted to hear him say it.

            “If Roxas gave you his Keyblade, with the intent that you use it, it is entirely possible that you have been Bequeathed to already,” Yen Sid said.

            A spark of hope lit in Xion’s chest and was quickly extinguished. “But… My Keyblade back then wasn’t real. A… ‘sham’, Riku called it.”

            “Did he?” Yen Sid asked. “Was this before or after the period when Roxas lent you the use of his Keyblade?”

            “Before, but…” Xion trailed off, understanding.

            “Indeed,” Yen Sid said, and that was definitely a smile this time, Xion was sure of it. “After that point, your Keyblade was your own.”

            Xion stared at her hands. “Do you really think it’s possible? That Roxas could have Bequeathed to me by accident?”

            “I believe it’s entirely possible. I would even go so far as to say it’s _likely_ ,” Yen Sid said. “When Roxas confronted Riku on the day of your… disappearance, he wielded two Keyblades. As Ventus was still with Sora, he would have needed the heart of another Keybearer within him to do so. Since your heart was with him, logically speaking the other Keyblade he held was yours.”

            “Then why can’t I summon it?” she whispered.

            Yen Sid considered this. “You may not like the answer I have for you,” he cautioned.

            Xion shook her head, slowly. “I’ve been told unfortunate truths before. I’d prefer to be burdened with the knowledge than kept in the dark.”

            Yen Sid nodded. “Then my hypothesis would be that on some level, you do not _want_ to be able to summon your Keyblade.”

            A rush of anger rose up through Xion. “Excuse me?” she asked in a tone that was just shy of being a hiss.

            “Will you allow me to explain?” Yen Sid asked, not unkindly. Xion continued to bristle, but she slowly calmed herself down, and nodded.

            “The last time you had a Keyblade, you were constantly judged, and constantly on the edge of being found wanting. You served, against your own will, those who denied your very humanity. On multiple occasions, you were forced to fight the boy you loved; one of those occasions was a fight to the death. The Keyblade has brought you nothing but suffering; it is no great stretch of the imagination to say that, on some level, you have no desire to return to that suffering.”

            Xion continued to stare at her hands. “…that’s not fair,” she whispered, slowly. “My friends need my help, I can’t afford to–”

            “I believe that is part of the problem,” Yen Sid said, softly. “To an extent, you believe you are _required_ to take up arms. You are not _obligated_ to fight, Xion. Even if you could summon your Keyblade.”

            “But, if I don’t, people will _die!_ ” Xion protested.

            “And what says that you, specifically, need fight?” Yen Sid asked. His tone remained level, quiet. “There is no shame in being afraid to do so. I have no desire to demean you, or to discount your abilities, but the harsh truth of the matter is that your participation in the battle between the Guardians of Light and the Seekers of Darkness is not necessary. Welcome, certainly, but not necessary.”

            “Bullshit.”

            Yen Sid’s eyebrow quirked. “I beg your pardon?”

            “Bull. _FUCKING_. Shit,” Xion repeated, rising to her feet. “How dare you. How _dare_ you say this isn’t my fight. I wouldn’t fucking _exist_ if not for Xehanort’s schemes. How can I just _sit out_ the culmination of this bullshit?! I can’t. I _won’t_.

            “Of _course_ I’m fucking terrified! Of _course_ I don’t _have_ to fight! _None_ of us _have_ to fight! But we _need_ to! _I_ need to! Because if I _don’t_ , and Xehanort wins... _I’ll die knowing I wasn’t there to make a difference!_ ” She was shouting now. Yen Sid received her comments with the same neutral expression.

            “Death is not assured, even if Xehanort wins,” he said, mildly.

            Xion shook her head. “If he wins, it’ll be because no one there is alive to stop him. I can’t imagine any of my friends not fighting until the bitter end. And… and if Roxas…” she trailed off, tears in her eyes, but clenched her jaw and continued. “If Roxas… _dies_ … then even if I don’t die, I won’t be _alive_. Not in the way that counts. Not in my heart.”

            She took a deep breath. “I do have a choice. And I’m making the same one everyone else has. I’m going to fight. With my bare hands, if need be. Not because I feel like I _have_ to. Because I _need_ to. Not to prove I’m _useful_. Because it’s just the _right thing to do_. Not out of _fear_ of being left behind. Because I _won’t_ let my friends risk themselves _alone_.

            “I will fight, because I will _never_ _forgive_ _myself_ if I don’t.”

            There was silence. Yen Sid looked at her. Xion stared into his eyes, and to her confusion, in them saw a deep sorrow. “If you would fight, then you will need a Keyblade,” he said. It was just enough of a challenge to piss her off further.

            “I _have_ a Keyblade,” Xion insisted, angrily.

            “Show me.”

            Xion held out her hand without even thinking about what she was doing. Black smoke and violet sparks wreathed around her palm as a Keyblade appeared in a flash of light.

            It was black, with two bat wings forming the guard. A purple-blue gem was set in the hilt, and a chain motif ran up the blade. The teeth were formed by a ridge of metal that resembled the ancient Destiny Islands symbol that meant ‘darkness’.

            From the Keychain dangled a black, four-pointed notched cross, identical to the Nobody thorn Roxas wore as a zipper.

            “There, happy?” she started to say, then realized what she’d just done. Her eyes widened.

            To her lesser surprise, Yen Sid smiled broadly. “Oblivion. It would appear I was correct. This is the other blade that Roxas wielded. It seems it did indeed belong to you.”

            Xion tilted the Keyblade in her hand, still shocked. Dreamlike, she banished the Keyblade, and started to smile as she summoned it again with ease. Her smile grew wider as she banished it and resummoned it, again and again.

            Her Keyblade was back to stay.

            “Thank you,” she murmured, turning to Yen Sid.

            The old sorcerer was still broadly smiling. “For what? This came entirely from you.”

            Xion laughed. It felt good. “Fine, if you say so. Master,” she amended, remembering herself. “I wonder if it’s too late to join them on their mission,” she mused.

            Yen Sid shifted. “As a matter of fact, I believe they have returned,” he said.

            Xion blinked. “Already?”

            “Yes…” Yen Sid seemed uncomfortable somehow. “We may have… exaggerated, somewhat, the risk of this mission.”

            “Why would you send everyone out on a mission if it wasn’t that critical?” Xion asked, frowning.

            Yen Sid took a deep breath. “Xion… you do remember what day it is, yes?”

            “No?”

 

 

            Xion raced up the stairs and burst into the common room, to a loud yell of “SURPRISE!”

            “You guys are jerks, and mean, and I hate you _all_ ,” she said, but couldn’t keep the smile off of her face.

            “No you don’t,” Roxas said, walking towards her. “Happy birthday, Xion.”

            “No, I don’t, but really? Letting me think you were off risking your lives so you could plan a surprise party? Jerk move,” she said, but wrapped her arms around her boyfriend and kissed him anyway.

            “I told you it wasn’t nice,” Sora muttered in the background.

            Lea shrugged. “Little bit. Makes the surprise nicer, though. Besides, not like we didn’t _actually_ have a mission.”

            “And I’m sure if Xion’s going to take it out on anyone, it’ll be Roxas,” Kairi added. Her words were innocuous, but her tone implied something else. Not that Xion was disagreeing.

            “Before we get started, though, I have something I need to show all of you,” she said, disengaging from Roxas.

            “What’s that?” Naminé asked.

            Xion took a step back, beamed, and held out her hand, willing Oblivion to life. There was a wave of gasping, then Xion found herself almost knocked over as Roxas, Lea, Naminé, Sora, Kairi, and everyone else (except Vanitas) piled on for a giant group hug.

            “Congratulations!” Roxas said, kissing her on the cheek (he’d been pushed to the centre with her due to proximity). “How are you feeling?”

            “Fantastic,” Xion said, kissing him back. “And ready to start hitting people with a giant piece of metal.”

            “Before that,” Lea said, extracting himself, “we have cake and gifts.”

            There was only one cake this time, but they’d gone with three candles shaped like the number “16”. There was a pile of gifts from everyone, but the crown jewel of that was Roxas’s gift. Xion’s eyes bugged out upon unwrapping the large illustrated encyclopedia of seashells.

            “Told you she’d love it,” Roxas said to Sora, in a smug tone.

            Sora shrugged. “Okay, I won’t doubt how well you know your girlfriend anymore.”

            “Thank you,” Roxas replied, drily. He turned to Xion and nuzzled her cheek. “Also… there’s another gift I want to give you. Later.”

            “Another gift?” Xion asked.

            “Well… you did just get your Keyblade back. Meaning… I’d like to return the favour.”

            “ _Oh,_ ” Xion said, and reddened. “A-are you sure? I mean, you don’t _have_ to…”

            “I wouldn’t offer,” Roxas said, his face flushing only slightly as he smiled, “if I wasn’t sure.”

            Kairi cleared her throat and clapped her hands. “Okay, your evening plans are your business, let’s move on!” Xion and Roxas both nodded, gratefully, and Lea privately breathed a sigh of relief.

            There was only so much knowledge of Roxas and Xion’s personal lives he wanted, after all.

 

 

            Ven walked over to Aqua, standing towards the back of the room with a glass of punch (courtesy of Goofy) in her hand. “Aqua, I think we need to talk.”

            Aqua started. “What about, Ven?”

            Ven took a deep breath. “Xemnas.”

            Aqua stiffened, but nodded. “You’re right. We do need to talk about that.”

            “Join me?” Ven asked, and she followed him across the room, catching Kairi’s arm to explain where they were going as they went.

            Ven lead the way out to that one balcony he was fond of, and sat down at the edge. Aqua sat next to him, and for a while there was silence.

            Eventually, Aqua spoke. “Xemnas isn’t Terra.”

            “I agree,” Ven said. “We’re not going to get him back by fighting him.”

            Silence reigned again. Ven started as Aqua slumped a bit, and tears started rolling down her cheeks. “Ven, I… I don’t know if I can fight someone with Terra’s face again. Xemnas only exists because I didn’t–”

            “Hey,” Ven interrupted, softly. “He’s got nothing to do with you. Because Xemnas exists, we’ve got a shot at getting Terra back.” Unbidden, tears started rolling down his cheeks, too. “But… I get it. I don’t want to have to fight him, either.” He smiled, ruefully. “Guess there are some advantages to being in a coma, after all.”

            As he’d hoped, Aqua sputtered out a honk of laughter through her tears. “I wouldn’t wish what I went through on you,” she said. “I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. Maybe Xehanort.”

            “I dunno, if it’s _exactly_ what you went through, that means he’d get through it at some point. Plus he’d probably love it in the Realm of Darkness. Lots of Heartless for him to wiggle his fingers and monologue at. And they can’t talk to interrupt him,” Ven said.

            “You make a fair point,” Aqua said, snickering despite herself. Her smile faded. “It’s going to be hard,” she said. “How are we even going to know which one is Terra and which one is Xemnas?”

            “No idea,” Ven said. “Maybe get them talking? Terra doesn’t have that creepy obsession with Roxas, and he doesn’t monologue, either.”

            “You should have seen him when he was thirteen,” Aqua said, drily, but then her eyes slowly widened. Ven waited, patiently, because he’d seen this look before.

            Aqua had an idea.

            If they were lucky, that idea would soon form itself into a plan. Sure enough, Aqua’s lips slowly drew back into a delighted smile.

            “Have I ever mentioned that your ‘plan’ face is a little creepy?” Ven asked, amused.

            Aqua jerked back, a little self-conscious, covering her mouth with her hand. “Is it? I’m sorry.”

            Ven waved a hand. “Never mind that. What did you figure out?”

            Aqua smiled again. “I figured out how to tell them apart. Like you said, of the two of them only Xemnas knows or cares who Roxas is. And he likes to monologue. If he were to see that Roxas was back…”

            “I get it!” said Ven. “The one who doesn’t react is Terra!”

            “Right!”

            “Great!” Ven frowned. “Wait. Something else I don’t get. Did Xemnas not have anything to say to Xion when he saw her with you?”

            “Hmm? No, he didn’t seem to… Light above.”

            “What’s up?”

            “He didn’t remember her. Roxas was right. Xemnas didn’t recognize Xion. He thought she was from Twilight Town.” Aqua’s lips pulled back in her “plan” smile again. “And I think, I might have figured out how to find them. But… it’s going to be risky.”

            “Hey, I don’t mind risk,” Ven said, getting excited.

            Aqua shook her head. “Not for you, or for me. More than usual, at least.”

            Ven frowned. “Then… for who?”

 

 

            “Xion,” Kairi said, approaching her and Roxas from where they were entwined on the couch, “I just realized I forgot to check something. Can you show me your Keyblade again?”

            “Yeah, sure, Kairi, why?” Xion asked, summoning Oblivion.

            Kairi took one look at the Keychain and broke into a broad grin. “Yes! I was _right!_ ”

            “About what?” Riku asked.

            “Roxas’s Keyblade has a seashell keychain!” Kairi said, still beaming. “So–”

            “Oh, is that what you were talking about?” Roxas asked. “Because our Keychains resemble each other?”

            “Wait, you needed to see Xion’s Keyblade to figure that out, Kairi?” Sora asked. He sounded smug.

            Kairi glared. “I like being _right_ , Sora. I don’t make declarations if I’m not 100% positive.”

            “That is patently untrue,” Riku said, shaking his head and smirking.

            “Quiet, you,” Kairi said, shoving his shoulder. It didn’t diminish his smirk one bit.

            “Wait, I don’t get it,” Xion said. “What do you mean?”

            “The Keychains on our versions of Oathkeeper and Oblivion are different from the ones on Sora’s Oathkeeper and Oblivion,” Roxas explained. “Sora’s Oathkeeper has the Wayfinder Kairi made him, and mine has one of those seashells we used to leave each other. Except white.”

            Xion nodded in comprehension. “Oh, so it’s because we…” she cut herself off, blushing. Roxas smirked, leaned in, and kissed her forehead. She blushed harder.

            “Out of curiosity,” Riku said to Sora, “what’s the Keychain on _your_ Oblivion?”

            “Huh? Oh, it’s…” Sora summoned his Keyblade and clipped something they couldn’t see to the pommel. The Kingdom Key became Oblivion, and Sora held it out to show him.

            Riku’s eyes widened. “That’s…”

            A small black crown hung from the Keyblade. “Yeah, I’m not sure why the colour changes with it, but it’s the necklace you gave me,” Sora said, smiling. “So, yeah. For both of us, it’s something that symbolizes the people we love.”

            His smile grew wider as a light flush rose on Riku’s cheeks. “You’re cute when you blush, Riku!” To his delight, Riku got even redder.

            “Stop,” Riku said, pushing Sora.

            His boyfriend laughed, bouncing back. “Never! You’re cute, Riku!”

            Riku screwed up his lips and looked away.  Roxas looked from Riku to Xion, comparing the hues. “Okay, maybe I’ll admit to one thing we have in common,” he said to Sora. “Enjoying making our significant others blush.”

            Sora laughed. “I do like doing that.”

            Kairi rolled her eyes, smirking. “Really? You’re usually the one blushing, Sora. And there’s nothing you can do or say that’s going to make _me_ blush.”

            Roxas raised an eyebrow. “Kairi, that sounds like a challenge.”

            She laughed. “He can’t do it. It’s not much of one.”

            Sora shrugged. “If you say so, Princess.”

            There was silence. Kairi stared at him, and as she did so, a tinge of red slowly rose up out of her collar, sliding up her cheeks and all the way to her forehead. “That’s cheating,” she muttered.

            Roxas held out his hand, and Sora eagerly high-fived him.

            Aqua and Ven chose that moment to rejoin the party. Ven looked at the trio of blushing people and gave Roxas and Sora a questioning look. They shrugged.

            “Xion?” Aqua asked. “I know this is kind of sudden, but I need you to help me with something.”

            “With what?” Xion asked, recovering her normal complexion.

            “Getting Terra back,” Aqua said.

            Everyone was immediately at attention. “You came up with something?” Sora asked.

            “We did,” Aqua said. “But it’s going to rely heavily on you, Xion.”

            Xion swallowed. “I’m ready.”

            “No, you’re not yet,” Aqua said, “but I appreciate the enthusiasm. I need you to learn how to make a Light Corridor.”

            “Really?” Xion asked. “Why?”

            “I’ll explain more later, but would you mind if we started working on that tomorrow?” Aqua asked. “This is kind of important to us.”

            Xion nodded. “It’s important to Lea, too. Sure, Aqua. But you’re gonna have to explain why.”

            “I will.”

            “Come to think of it,” Kairi interrupted, “Roxas still doesn’t know how to make them, either, right?”

            “That’s right,” Lea said, wandering over from the conversation he’d been having with Vanitas and Naminé upon hearing his name. “Won’t stay still and let me teach him.”

            “You sure you could?” Kairi teased. “Since you’re, you know, you?”

            “Hey, Axel taught me a lot of things,” Roxas protested. “I just… haven’t gotten around to it yet.”

            “I sure did,” Lea agreed. “Plus, I taught your boyfriends to do it. If I can teach Sora, I can teach anyone.”

            “What’s that supposed to mean?” Sora asked, crossing his arms.

            “It means teaching you stuff is kind of like trying to teach a dinosaur to ride a ball,” Lea said, smirking. “Hard, but very rewarding and amazing once you actually get it.”

            “I… I don’t know if that was supposed to be insulting or not?” Sora asked.

            “Exactly.”

            “That means it was,” Kairi teased.

            “Hey!”

            “He’s not wrong, though,” Riku mused, hiding a smirk behind his hand.

            “HEY!”

 

 

            “Kinda lucky you were keeping Rainfell in the basement, wasn’t it?”

            Yen Sid looked up from his papers. He’d left the party after wishing Xion many happy returns, and had returned to his study. It seemed that Mickey had followed him.

            He raised an eyebrow. “It was there as a small memorial to one I thought was lost. With Aqua’s return, it was not needed in that capacity.”

            “Right. Ya know, I’ve never heard of a Keyblade calling to someone before,” Mickey said. Xion had told the story of the day’s events over cake. “Sora and I both found our Kingdom Keys, but it wasn’t ‘cause the blades wanted us to find them so bad they called out.”

            Yen Sid regarded his former pupil. “How else would you suggest she found it?”

            “Oh, I dunno. Some subtle instruction from someone who knew she was feeling down?” Mickey met Yen Sid’s gaze without flinching. The King of Disney Town had come a long way from the apprentice who’d once stolen his master’s hat to avoid his chores.

            Yen Sid’s expression didn’t change, but he quietly said, “She would not be the first person to feel… lesser for not being able to take up arms.”

            “Even though she’s valuable to us just because she’s our friend?” Mickey asked. “And even though there’s more things she can do ta help than just fighting?”

            “Even then.”

            “Well, I don’t think she should feel down even if she couldn’t help directly,” Mickey said, firmly. “Sometimes, giving light to others is all we can do, and we shouldn’t think less of ourselves if that’s our limit. Because in the end, it still helps, right?”

            The corners of Yen Sid’s mouth twitched into a slight smile. “When did you become so wise, young Mouse?”

            “Sometimes wisdom just kinda happens, ya know?” Mickey smiled. “It was a nice present to give her, anyway.”

            Yen Sid tilted his head. “I did nothing of the sort. Her Keyblade came from her.”

            Mickey laughed. “Yeah, she said you said that. Respectfully, Master, the gesture was still nice.”

            “I’m sure I have no idea what you mean.”

            “I’m sure you don’t,” Mickey agreed. “On another note, seems Aqua’s figured something out. She’ll probably be in to see you tomorrow.”

            “Indeed.”

            “Well, I’m going to head back to the party,” Mickey said. “Oh, and Master?”

            “Yes?”

            “I’m glad to be working with ya. Takes a lot off my mind, you know?”

            Yen Sid smiled. “I am glad to be of assistance.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, there's an elephant in this room that I have to address. But we'll get to that.  
> Usually I'd use these notes to tell you about what changed from my initial idea for this fic, what got added, what if anything was taken out or changed. But this time...  
> I don't have to _tell_ you.  
> I can _show_ you.   
> I initially wrote Bequeathed back in January of 2018, during the writing process of Kairi and Lea's Excellent Adventure. Now, of course, things changed, plans shifted, I rethought some aspects, and I wound up rewriting this fic from the ground up. This chapter is the final product; the "canon" events.   
> But I still have the original version.  
> And that's why this is "two" chapters.   
> The second "chapter" is the original version of the story. I'll talk more about what got changed, what didn't, and why, on those notes.   
> (Which is also why these notes are so sparse.)


	2. Original

            Feeling useless wasn’t as bad as being forgotten, Xion had come to realize, but it still sucked.

            Having her body back was wonderful, she wasn’t going to argue the point. Being able to be together with Roxas in the ways she simply couldn’t as a heart in Sora’s body was fantastic, as was being surrounded by people that loved and cared for her. But there was a war on, and of all her friends, she alone couldn’t fight.

            Because she still couldn’t summon her Keyblade.

            Ventus had been able to summon Wayward Wind almost as soon as he’d gotten back on his feet. Roxas had taken some time longer, but had finally managed to summon Oathkeeper; this had led to some confusion since they had been expecting a second Kingdom Key, but in retrospect they had realized that Roxas had only had it because Sora hadn’t been able to use it. There was only the one, so his Keyblade would now manifest as something else. Vanitas had also been able to summon Void Gear from almost the second he was put in a new body, but he had eschewed using it at all until Ventus had given him the Lost Memory keychain. He had never said anything, but she suspected it was because it reminded him of Xehanort.

            Try as she might, Xion couldn’t get her own Keyblade to appear. Aqua and Mickey were both of the opinion that she just needed more time, but deep down, she was afraid that she might never get it back. If only because she had never really had one to begin with.

            The Keyblade she had used as part of Organization XIII had been a fabrication; a fake Keyblade based on Aqua’s Stormfall. It was entirely possible that Xion simply wasn’t a Keybearer at all. Which meant that there was nothing she could do to help her friends.

 

 

            Xion hacked angrily at the training dummy, which really had done nothing to deserve her ire. Even Keybladeless, her training was something she could control, something she could be doing, which she sorely needed at the moment.

            The Mysterious Tower was much, much larger on the inside than on the outside. It had to be, since it was comfortably accommodating herself, Roxas, Lea, Sora, Kairi, Riku, Naminé, Aqua, Ventus, Vanitas, Mickey, Donald, and Goofy, as well as Yen Sid himself. Either the tower extended far underground, or it was just magic. Magic seemed more plausible.

            Right now, all was quiet, since the entire rest of the occupants were on a mission, save Yen Sid himself. The sorcerer mostly stayed to his private apartments, however, so Xion was functionally alone.

            She ended the sequence of strikes she’d been practicing, and went over to towel off and drink some water. As she lifted the bottle to her lips, she felt a strange tugging sensation at the back of her mind.

            “Anyone there?” she called, but there was no answer. She took a couple of steps towards the door, and the tugging sensation became stronger.

            “That’s weird,” she muttered. She considered going to tell Yen Sid, but she couldn’t make herself climb the stairs, instead following them down towards the tower’s basement, not quite sure where she was going.

            The pull led her to a small door in the wall. There was nothing particularly impressive about it, but it swung open at her touch. She entered the room, at this point very confused.

            The room was small, containing only a table. It was lit softly, covered with a cloth, and dust-free.

            Resting on the table was a Keyblade.

            It was short, and metallic blue. The head was shaped like a diamond, and it had a motif of raindrops.

            Xion reached out a hand towards it, but stopped.

            “Its name is Rainfell. It used to belong to Master Aqua.”

            Xion whirled around to see Yen Sid standing in the door.

            “Master! I wasn’t, uh… I didn’t mean to–”

            “It called to you?” he asked, cutting her off.

            “…Something did.” She looked back at the Keyblade.

            “Your inability to summon the Keyblade bothers you.” It wasn’t a question.

            “It does. My friends are out there risking their lives and I can’t even help. I’m not much of a ‘secret weapon’ if I can’t fight.”

            Yen Sid raised an eyebrow. “Do you truly wish to fight? Perhaps to die, so soon after returning to life? Some would call your situation a relief.”

            Xion drew herself up to her full height. It put her somewhere around Yen Sid’s chest, but it made her feel more confident. “People I care about are in danger. There’s no ‘relief’ to be had while that’s the case,” she said.

            “If you are so resolved, then I would suggest you take up this blade.”

            Xion blinked. “What?”

            Yen Sid motioned to Rainfell. “Master Aqua no longer uses it. You have the skill to wield it, even if the power is not your own. With it, you will be able to fight.”

            Xion turned back towards the Keyblade. She reached out to take its hilt, but stopped, and brought her hand back.

            “No,” she said.

            “No?”

            “I’m sick and tired of borrowing other people’s power. Stealing Sora’s memories, borrowing Roxas’s Keyblade, and now you’re asking me to fight using Aqua’s power? I can’t do it. I won’t do it. If I can’t fight for my friends with my own power, I might as well not fight at all.”

            She looked Yen Sid right in the eyes. “If I can’t do anything to help on my own, what use is there to me?” Her voice only cracked slightly.

            Yen Sid met her gaze. “A person’s worth isn’t justified by what they can do, child. But something you said intrigues me. You say you at one point used Roxas’s Keyblade?”

            Xion nodded, and explained that during her time in the Organization, there had been periods where she lost the use of her fake Keyblade. On one of those occasions, Roxas had lent her his real one. It was soon after that that she regained control of the fake.

            “He freely gave it to you? And you accepted it?” Yen Sid asked.

            “Yes?”

            The sorcerer retreated to the staircase outside the door and sat down. He motioned for her to join him and cautiously, she sat. “Have you ever heard of the concept of Bequeathing?”

            “No?”

            “The Bequeathing is a ritual through which a Keybearer passes on the ability to wield the Keyblade to another person. It is how Riku was given the use of the Keyblade by Terra, and how Mickey passed the skill on to Lea. Though the ritual is the traditional way of passing the ability on, the Bequeathing can also be performed accidentally. This is how Kairi, and through her, Naminé, were given the use of the Keyblade by Master Aqua. The ritual requires that the Keybearer offer their Keyblade to the intended, or unintended, inheritor. If the inheritor takes the Keyblade, and they have the potential, then they will one day manifest a Keyblade of their own.”

            Xion suddenly realized why he was telling her this. “Are you… do you think Roxas might have ‘bequeathed’ me his Keyblade by accident?”

            “I believe it’s entirely possible,” said Yen Sid. “When he confronted Riku on the day of your… disappearance, he wielded two Keyblades. As Ventus was still with Sora, he would have needed the heart of another Keybearer within him to do so. Since your heart was with him, logically speaking the other Keyblade he held was yours.”

            “Then why can’t I summon it?” she whispered.

            “Because you have been doubting that you could. You have been afraid that you cannot, and thus, you cannot. The Darkness of that doubt has been overshadowing the Light you need to access to summon it.”

            “I don’t doubt it now, not if you’re right,”

            “I have been known to be correct on occasion,” Yen Sid said, deadpan, but with the slight smile he occasionally adopted.

            “Then what do I do to bring it out?” she asked.

            “Hold out your arm.” She did so. “Now focus on your friends, the ones you love and care for. Focus on who you want to protect. Hold them in your mind. Do not try to push the feelings anywhere, but simply let them flow.”

            Xion thought about Roxas, about Lea and Sora and Riku and Kairi. About Naminé, and Aqua and Ventus and Mickey, and even about Vanitas. She breathed in, and out, and with a flash, a Keyblade appeared in her outstretched hand.

            It was black, with two bat wings forming the guard. A purple-blue gem was set in the hilt, and a chain motif ran up the blade.

            “Oblivion,” Yen Sid said. “It appears I was correct. This is the other blade that Roxas wielded. It seems that it did indeed belong to you.”

            Xion smiled, the biggest she’d had in a while. She banished the Keyblade and tried to resummon it, grinning wider when it came right back. “Thank you, Master,” she said. “If you’ll excuse me, I think I should get back to practice. I promise I won’t waste this opportunity.”

            “Follow your heart, child, and no opportunity will be wasted,” Yen Sid proclaimed, and Xion dashed back upstairs to the training room.

 

            Upon the return of the other Keybearers, Xion excitedly showed off her ability to summon Oblivion, and told the story of her talk with Yen Sid. While the others congratulated her, Mickey slipped away to talk to his old teacher.

            “Kinda lucky you were keeping Rainfell in the basement, wasn’t it?” he asked.

            Yen Sid raised an eyebrow. “It was there as a small memorial to one I thought was lost. With Aqua’s return, it was not needed in that capacity.”

            “Right. Ya know, I’ve never heard of a Keyblade calling to someone before. Sora and I both found our Kingdom Keys, but it wasn’t because the blades wanted us to find them so bad they called out.”

            Yen Sid regarded his former pupil. “How else would you suggest she found it?”

            “Oh, I dunno. Some subtle instruction from someone who knew she was feeling down?” Mickey met Yen Sid’s gaze unblinkingly. The King had come a long way from the apprentice who’d stolen his master’s hat to avoid doing chores.

            Yen Sid’s expression didn’t change, but he quietly said, “She would not be the first person to feel… lesser for not being able to take up arms.”

            “Even though she’s valuable to us just because she’s our friend?” Mickey asked.

            “Even then.”

            “Well, I think there are many ways to help,” Mickey said firmly. “Sometimes giving light to others is all we can do, and we shouldn’t think less of ourselves if that’s our limit. Because in the end, it still helps, right?”

            The corners of Yen Sid’s mouth twitched in the manner that Mickey alone could recognize as a smile. “When did you become so wise, young Mouse?”

            “Sometimes wisdom just kinda happens, ya know?” Mickey smiled. “I’m gonna go congratulate Xion. Join us for dinner?”

            “Perhaps,” said Yen Sid. Mickey smiled and left the study, leaving the sorcerer to his thoughts.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I think you'll easily note the biggest missing parts: Xion's birthday isn't celebrated, and Aqua and Ven don't have a talk about Xemnas, or hint at the Terra Retrieval Arc plans (No, it's not an arc, it's just the next two fics, I just like making references). This is because I hadn't come up with either of the ideas of "Roxas and Naminé's birthday is celebrated", or "Xemnas shows up to fuck with Aqua and Ven's heads". I did, however, know that Vanitas was going to be part of the team, _and_ that Ven gave him the Lost Memory Keychain. Like I've said. I was planning that reveal for the entire previous year.   
> I'm not sure where I heard the idea that Xion's fake Keyblade was based on/designed by studying Stormfall, which is why I left it out of the final draft.   
> Another major part of why I rewrote this fic was because, after everything Roxas went through to get his Keyblade back, and how much weight it had, this felt... cheap. Xion doesn't have hers because she's been doubting herself too much? She just didn't want it badly enough?  
> Bull. FUCKING. Shit.   
> So that had to be changed, and I think that the explanation I came up with instead is better. Gotta put that philosophy degree to use somehow!  
> Ven and Aqua's conversation was something that, by rights, really should have happened in Re:Adjustments proper, but I couldn't find a way to sneak it in. It would have gone in after Ven's conversation with Vanitas, but that would have been an awkward transition, and I felt like it was perfect the way it was. Plus, putting it here means I can lead in to Aqua's plan for Terra Retrieval; which Xion was always an integral part of.   
> You'll notice the bit about the Keychains also isn't here; I didn't get the idea for that until about a week or so before Edgelord was posted. (Yeah, not written. _Posted_. They're never completely done until they're up.)  
> Oh, and so no one asks about it: This AU has always ran on the idea that Ventus's heart _stayed_ with Sora during Days. I'm aware this is acanonical. But in this AU, it's How Things Are. Roxas could dual wield because of Xion. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.   
> Finally, as for Yen Sid... I actually had to edit this original version after playing Kingdom Hearts II, merely because I didn't realize that Yen Sid can and did _smile_. Maybe he's just more dour in KH3D; or maybe I just didn't have any reason to make note of his facial expressions back in 2013.   
> And with that, I believe we're done! In two weeks, join me once again... Because it's time to recover our missing Guardian.  
> It's time for something you've all been waiting for.   
> _It's Terra time._


End file.
